Maureen Flavin Sweeney
{{Short description|Irish postmistress (1923–2023)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2023}}
{{Use British English|date=September 2023}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Maureen Flavin Sweeney
| birth_name = Mary Christine Flavin
| birth_date = 3 June 1923
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2023|12|17|1923|06|03|df=y}}
| occupation = Post mistress, weather observer
| known_for = Made first observation of coming storm that threatened Allied vessels in the English Channel, led to change of date for 1944 invasion of France
}}
Maureen Flavin Sweeney (3 June 1923 – 17 December 2023) was an Irish postmistress. She grew up in County Kerry but moved to Blacksod, County Mayo, at the age of 18 to take up a position at a post office. One of Flavin Sweeney's duties was to make weather observations that were reported to Allied forces during the Second World War. Blacksod's position on the west coast made it one of the first stations to report westerly storms.
On 3 June 1944, her 21st birthday, Flavin Sweeney made the first observation of a coming storm that threatened Allied vessels in the English Channel. Following her observation, the U.S. commander, General Dwight D. Eisenhower, agreed to postpone the invasion of France by 24 hours, from 5 June to 6 June. After the war, Flavin Sweeney took over the post office, running it until her retirement in the 2000s. She received recognition for her wartime role from the U.S. Congress in 2021.
Early life
Maureen Flavin was born in Knockanure,{{Cite web |title=Tributes paid to North Kerry woman who helped Allied Forces defeat Nazi Germany |url=https://www.radiokerry.ie/news/tributes-paid-to-north-kerry-woman-who-helped-allied-forces-defeat-nazi-germany-361676 |access-date=2023-12-19 |website=RadioKerry.ie |language=en}} in County Kerry, on 3 June 1923,{{Cite web |title=Civil birth register entry (entry 41) |url=https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1923/01124/1470816.pdf |access-date=2024-06-05 |website=irishgenealogy.ie |language=en}}{{cite book |last1=Dean |first1=Janice |title=I Am the Storm: Inspiring Stories of People Who Fight Against Overwhelming Odds |date=17 January 2023 |publisher=HarperCollins |isbn=978-0-06-324321-7 |page=16 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kshrEAAAQBAJ |language=en}}{{cite book |last1=Dean |first1=Janice |title=I Am the Storm: Inspiring Stories of People Who Fight Against Overwhelming Odds |date=17 January 2023 |publisher=HarperCollins |isbn=978-0-06-324321-7 |page=17 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kshrEAAAQBAJ |language=en}} her birth was registered as Mary Christine. She passed her secondary school examinations and, on reaching the age of 18, found herself looking for employment. Flavin Sweeney had no family in County Kerry and had dreamed of moving to America.{{Cite web |date=2024-06-03 |title=The Irish lighthouse keeper who gave D-Day the go-ahead |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cyjj7dddvmjo |access-date=2024-06-04 |website=BBC News |language=en-GB}} However, her nearest relative, an uncle, ran a pub at Blacksod, County Mayo, on the western coast. He offered her accommodation. She travelled for two days to reach Blacksod to answer an advertisement offering a position as a clerk at the Department of Posts and Telegraphs local post office.{{cite book |last1=Ross |first1=John |title=Forecast for D-day: And the Weatherman behind Ike's Greatest Gamble |date=15 April 2014 |publisher=Rowman & Littlefield |isbn=978-1-4930-0848-3 |page=79 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yPdABAAAQBAJ |language=en}}
After being accepted for the post by postmistress Margaret Sweeney, she discovered that the post office also operated a weather station, important for forecasting as it lay on one of the most westerly parts of Ireland. Under an August 1939 agreement, the station was one of a number in Ireland that provided daily weather readings to the British Met Office via telegraph. Measurements were taken from instruments housed on a corner of the nearby lighthouse.{{cite book |last1=Ross |first1=John |title=Forecast for D-day: And the Weatherman behind Ike's Greatest Gamble |date=15 April 2014 |publisher=Rowman & Littlefield |isbn=978-1-4930-0848-3 |page=79 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yPdABAAAQBAJ |language=en}}
Second World War
{{also|Weather forecasting for Operation Overlord}}
After the outbreak of the Second World War, the station, important as one of the first to warn of approaching westerly weather systems, was asked to make hourly weather reports.{{cite news |last1=O'Riordan |first1=Ellen |title=US honour for 98-year-old woman whose Mayo weather report changed D-Day landing |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/us-honour-for-98-year-old-woman-whose-mayo-weather-report-changed-d-day-landing-1.4598678 |access-date=8 September 2023 |newspaper=The Irish Times |date=20 June 2021 |language=en}} The Allied forces planned Operation Overlord, an invasion of German-occupied France, for June 1944. In the approach to this the Blacksod weather station was asked to make more detailed measurements.
On 3 June 1944, her 21st birthday, Flavin Sweeney got up at 1{{nbsp}}am Double British Summer Time, to make the hourly reading. The station instruments showed a slight drop in air pressure, a {{convert|7|mph|adj=on}} wind from the south-west and a slight drizzle. The drop in pressure was the first indication of an incoming severe storm that could make hazardous conditions for any crossing of the English Channel.{{cite book |last1=Ross |first1=John |title=Forecast for D-day: And the Weatherman behind Ike's Greatest Gamble |date=15 April 2014 |publisher=Rowman & Littlefield |isbn=978-1-4930-0848-3 |page=177|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yPdABAAAQBAJ |language=en}} Flavin Sweeney woke Ted Sweeney, the postmistress' son, to confirm the readings as he was more experienced with the instruments (Margaret and her daughter Frances also made readings at other times during the war).{{cite news |last1=McMahon |first1=Páraic |title=East Clare ties to celebration of historic Maureen Flavin Sweeney |url=https://www.clareecho.ie/east-clare-ties-to-celebration-of-historic-maureen-flavin-sweeney/ |access-date=8 September 2023 |work=Clare Echo |date=18 June 2021 |language=en-gb}}{{cite book |last1=Dean |first1=Janice |title=I Am the Storm: Inspiring Stories of People Who Fight Against Overwhelming Odds |date=17 January 2023 |publisher=HarperCollins |isbn=978-0-06-324321-7 |page=18 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kshrEAAAQBAJ |language=en}} Ted Sweeney confirmed Flavin Sweeney's readings and the report was sent on to Britain. Measurements made over the following reports from 2{{nbsp}}am to 7{{nbsp}}am showed a continuing drop in pressure, with a steady wind and worsening rain. These conditions were confirmed by nearby stations.
Royal Air Force officer James Stagg was the chief meteorologist to General Dwight D. Eisenhower, Supreme Allied Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force (SHAEF). At around 11{{nbsp}}am Stagg had his office call the Blacksod post office direct to confirm their readings, bypassing the usual liaison office at Dublin.{{cite news |last1=Flannery |first1=Maria |title=Irishwoman whose storm weather report led to delay of D-Day in WWII turns 100 |url=https://www.irishmirror.ie/lifestyle/irishwoman-whose-weather-report-storm-30192166 |access-date=8 September 2023 |work=Irish Mirror |date=9 June 2023 |language=en}} As a result of the weather reports Eisenhower agreed to a postponement of the invasion by 24 hours, from 5 to 6 June, potentially saving lives from stormy waters.
Later life
Flavin Sweeney went on to marry Ted Sweeney in 1946. They continued to operate the weather station at Blacksod until it was automated in 1956. It was at this point that the pair was first made aware of the important role their weather reports had on the planning of Operation Overlord. Flavin Sweeney succeeded her mother-in-law as postmistress at Blacksod and retired in the early 2000s. Her son, Vincent Sweeney, is now the lighthouse keeper at Blacksod.
By May 2020 she was at the Tí Aire nursing home in Belmullet, County Mayo, when she survived a COVID-19 infection.{{cite news |last1=Clancy |first1=Paddy |title=Irish World War II hero beats COVID-19 |url=https://www.irishcentral.com/news/irish-world-war-ii-hero-covid19 |access-date=8 September 2023 |work=IrishCentral.com |date=7 May 2020 |language=en}}
In June 2021, Flavin Sweeney was honoured by the United States Congress for her role in the Second World War. Her name was entered into the Congressional Record and she received a medal from the House of Representatives.{{cite book |last1=Gallagher |first1=Conor |title=Is Ireland Neutral?: The Many Myths of Irish Neutrality |date=8 June 2023 |publisher=Gill & Macmillan Ltd |isbn=978-0-7171-9600-5 |page=1952 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8IHEEAAAQBAJ |language=en}} U.S. Congressman and former U.S. Marine Corps Lieutenant-General Jack Bergman said "her skill and professionalism were crucial in ensuring Allied victory, and her legacy will live on for generations to come".{{cite news |last1=Brent |first1=Harry |title=98-year-old Irish woman awarded US military medal for delivering crucial Mayo weather report which aided 1944 D-Day landing |url=https://www.irishpost.com/news/98-year-old-irish-woman-awarded-us-military-medal-for-delivering-crucial-mayo-weather-report-which-aided-1944-d-day-landing-214607 |access-date=8 September 2023 |work=The Irish Post |date=21 June 2021}} Flavin Sweeney also received a certificate from the National WWII Museum in New Orleans.{{cite news |title=Mayo D-Day heroine Maureen Sweeney awarded special US distinction |url=https://www.con-telegraph.ie/2021/06/21/mayo-d-day-heroine-maureen-sweeney-awarded-special-us-distinction/ |access-date=8 September 2023 |work=Connaught Telegraph |date=21 June 2021}}
On the occasion of her 100th birthday in 2023, Flavin Sweeney received cards from Bergman and Irish President Michael D. Higgins. She died age 100 at Tí Aire nursing home on 17 December 2023.{{cite news|url = https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/czkjr34r2zzo|title = Irish woman whose forecast saved D-Day dies at 100|date = 18 December 2023|accessdate = 18 December 2023|work = BBC News}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Flavin Sweeney, Maureen}}
Category:20th-century Irish women
Category:21st-century Irish women
Category:Irish women centenarians